Police investigating fake $20 bill case

PORT CLINTON – What might be the first counterfeit currency of the year to cross the desk of the Port Clinton Police Department was given to officers by a Marathon gas station employee who reported receiving a fake $20 bill.

Detective Sgt. Corbin Carpenter said his department usually receives a few reports of counterfeit money each year, but this is the first of 2015 that he can recall, as it often picks up around the summer.

In the early hours of Friday morning, Sgt. Joshua Nelson spoke with Heather McFadden, the Marathon clerk on duty at the time, who handed Nelson the bill she believed was counterfeit. Upon looking at the bill, Nelson immediately noticed some discrepancies from an authentic bill, he stated in the report.

The bill had no security strip in it, and the watermark was permanently affixed as opposed to fading when moved back and forth. Nelson also said he noticed some ink running on the front and back, and the paper was not that of authentic currency, instead feeling like copy paper.

Nelson said he then compared the bill with several others in the cash register, noting that the Treasury seal was darker than any other bills and was almost unreadable.

McFadden said she thought the bill came in about 11 p.m. Thursday, a couple of hours before Nelson arrived. She said the only way she recognized that something was wrong with the bill was when she went to give it to a customer as change and “it did not feel right.”

The bill was then secured in an evidence envelope.

Later on Friday morning, Nelson reviewed footage from the security cameras at Marathon. However, he stated in the report that he couldn’t make out any faces nor see the specific bills being passed from the customer to the clerk.

Gas stations aren’t the only typical targets, Carpenter said. Counterfeiters often look to pass the bills to people less likely to notice the discrepancies.

“They usually try to use (the counterfeit money) anywhere they think they can get away with it,” he said.

Carpenter forwarded the case to the U.S. Secret Service to be investigated.

The Secret Service, which was originally founded in the late 1800s for the distinct purpose of suppressing counterfeiting of U.S. currency, has on its website a series of tips for spotting fake bills and advice on what to do in the event that you receive one.

The Secret Service suggests paying attention to the quality of the printing and paper characteristics, comparing any suspect bill to a genuine note and looking for differences, not similarities.

As Nelson and McFadden noted in the Port Clinton incident, the Secret Service said differences in the paper and seals help identify counterfeit bills.

The genuine paper has tiny red and blue fibers embedded throughout, which counterfeiters generally can only simulate with printing. It also is illegal to reproduce even just the paper used in the manufacturing of U.S. currency bills.

The Secret Service points out that the Federal Reserve and Treasury seals are “clear” and “sharp.” Meanwhile, counterfeit seals are often uneven and blurred. Other noteworthy issues with the fake bills might be blurred borders, misaligned serial numbers, or flat portraits that blend too much into the background.

If you are passed a counterfeit bill, the Secret Service advises not to return it to the passer. Delay them if possible and observe the person’s description, whether they had any companions, and a license plate number if a vehicle is used. Limit handling of the suspect bill and contact local police.

Knowingly using counterfeit money is a felony offense in all 50 states.